// Lidl opens 860th store in Great Britain and remains on track to reach 1000 by end of 2023
// Expansion forms part of Lidl’s £1.3bn investment plans for 2021 and 2022
// 20 new stores have opened this year so far, out of a target of 50 new stores
Lidl has reached the milestone of 860 stores in Great Britain and remains on track to have 1000 stores in their portfolio by the end of 2023.
This forms part of Lidl’s £1.3 billion investment plans for 2021 and 2022, which includes opening 50 new stores this year alone, creating 2000 new jobs.
The German discount grocer said 20 new stores have so far opened this year, despite the ongoing restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Lidl has also published its annual list of desired locations across the country where it is interested in acquiring sites for potential store developments.
Of particular focus this year includes town centre, edge of centre, retail park and metropolitan locations.
The list of desirable locations for new stores is aimed at landowners and freeholders with suitable sites who are interested in exploring opportunities with Lidl.
“We are calling on developers and landlords up and down the country to help find potential sites for us to build Lidl stores, which demonstrates the continued ambition we have to further expand our store portfolio across the nation,” Lidl GB chief executive Christian Härtnagel said.
“Despite the challenges of the past year, we still managed to meet our ambitious target of opening, on average, one new store per week across Great Britain.
“We are looking forward to opening more stores throughout the country and welcoming new colleagues in the coming months and years, so that more communities can access high quality food at the lowest prices on the market.”
Lidl said stores will include in-store bakeries, and will feature solar panels on the exterior to provide renewable energy for the site, in addition to the installation of electric vehicle charging points.
Each new store will also become part of Lidl’s food redistribution programme Feed It Back, which sees surplus food donated to those within local communities that need it the most, via food banks or partner charities.
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